Local man stabbed; subject sought

A local man was transported to Vanderbilt by helicopter after being stabbed earlier this week, according to sources at the Lewisburg Police Department.

The victim, Saul Ortiz, 35, of Verona Avenue, was stabbed outside 1537 Old Columbia Road shortly after 11 p.m. Monday, July 6. The hospital is not releasing any information on his condition.

"Until I get to talk to the victim I don't know anything," Detective Jimmy Oliver said. Oliver planned to question the victim with the help of an interpreter Thursday. The name of the alleged attacker was given to police by the victim and corroborated by a witness who saw the two men arguing.

"I responded to 1530 Old Columbia Road to a 911 call from a Hispanic female who stated, 'I need help,'" Grubbs reported. Through an interpreter, the woman named a man and said, "he stabbed the victim, then left in a red Nissan truck."

Officers Tracy Teal and Jackie Sands "came into contact with the victim first," Grubbs wrote. "Both Sands and Teal stated that the victim had a stab wound to the lower torso."

A witness who lives at 1530 Old Columbia Road stated "he was asleep in bed and was awakened by the sound of two men arguing in his front yard," Grubbs continued. "He got out of bed and went outside to break up the argument." The witness told Grubbs that both the alleged assailant and the victim "were in an intoxicated state." They "stopped arguing and walked across the road to 1537 Old Columbia Road."

Grubbs concluded his report on the aggravated assault by writing, "There were no witnesses to the actual stabbing of the victim, Saul Ortiz. The case was turned over to Det. Oliver and Det. Johnson upon their arrival."